Last minute campaign invite, need build help/ideas

[Grakin]

Hey folks, need help with a campaign that I just got invited into at the very last second. They're starting on Wednesday and offered me a spot after someone dropped out. Starts off at level 1 and the gist is everything is hot. DM's using sandstorm and said basically everything is hot, you will be hot, and if you don't take a native race with heat endurance at first level you better take the feat for it. I'm kind of just floundering right now because this is so last minute, it'll be the first time I've played 3.5 in like 5 years, and I've never played a desert themed campaign before.

Books allowed are PH1 and 2, DMG, Sandstorm, CAdv, CD, CW, and CM. I tried to see if we could sneak CC in but DM wasn't having it where we were starting so soon. So far we've got two druids, a bard and either a ranger or rogue (player is having a hard time choosing). Bard said he'd basically be doing bard stuff, one druid wants to be our water mule/water bender themed, other druid is playing his cards close to his chest for some weird reason. Whatever the rogue/ranger decides she plans on being some form of skill monkey.

I'm basically looking to be a frontliner/meat shield that can also possibly help out in non-combat situations because this DM is equal parts RP/battle themed. I was leaning towards cleric but I feel like heavy armor is going to be dangerous because of high temperature/sandstorm weather effects and no CC means no Ordained Champion. Was also thinking barbarian but they're not great out of combat and where this DM is so strict I doubt FB would be allowed for PrC. Would really appreciate any help or thoughts you folks could send my way.

Edit: Allowed Playable races are only from PH1 and sandstorm

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Are you looking more for fire resistance to avoid fire damage, or just resistance to fatigue and exhaustion, while dealing with hunger and thirst? Because warforged will make you immune to fatigue effects, and you don't need to eat or drink at all. Warforged make great shaper psions, and your psicrystal and any astral constructs you make won't suffer from any of that, either. Throw poisons at enemies (you're immune to those, too), as you can craft them using psionic minor creation. You won't be able to do much at level 1, front-line-wise, but astral constructs are great for that, and you can purchase an animal to do it for you. Maybe a warbeast camel?

Alternatively, maybe a warforged crusader/warblade/swordsage for lots of initiator-dipping goodness and in-fight healing?

The dragonborn template will grant you extra Con and remove your body plating so you can wear armor, and you don't have to spend a feat for either of them. It does cost you Dex, but it leaves most of your racial abilities alone (due to being from your subtype, which you keep). You do lose your slam, though.

[edit] Really should've checked your allowed sources before posting. Maybe see if you can get the above allowed?

[ciopo]

Make a third druid! Go with the ph2 shapeshift variant to ease up bookkeeping, you can sum it up as "rage, but much better", you can decently facetank stuff

In a party with two druids, I'd balk at using anything other than a fullcaster. But it depends on the overall system mastery of everyone involved I suppose.

Is spell compendium allowed? The MiC?

[Grakin]

Are you looking more for fire resistance to avoid fire damage, or just resistance to fatigue and exhaustion, while dealing with hunger and thirst? Because warforged will make you immune to fatigue effects, and you don't need to eat or drink at all. Warforged make great shaper psions, and your psicrystal and any astral constructs you make won't suffer from any of that, either. Throw poisons at enemies (you're immune to those, too), as you can craft them using psionic minor creation. You won't be able to do much at level 1, front-line-wise, but astral constructs are great for that, and you can purchase an animal to do it for you. Maybe a magebred warbeast camel?

Alternatively, maybe a warforged crusader/warblade/swordsage for lots of initiator-dipping goodness and in-fight healing?

I wish the DM was allowing warforged as it seems like that'd solve most problems, but the only allowable races are from core and sandstorm. Also ToB isn't one of the books allowed so crusader/warblade/swordsage is nixed as well. Checked with my DM, anything psionic is also prohibited...

I'm leaning towards going with one of the sandstorm races as most of them have heat endurance as a racial feature. Fire resistance is definitely going to be something that I'm going to need. I'm just having a hard time trying to juggle that with also trying to work in being a front-liner.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I wish the DM was allowing warforged as it seems like that'd solve most problems, but the only allowable races are from core and sandstorm. Also ToB isn't one of the books allowed so crusader/warblade/swordsage is nixed as well. Checked with my DM, anything psionic is also prohibited...

I'm leaning towards going with one of the sandstorm races as most of them have heat endurance as a racial feature. Fire resistance is definitely going to be something that I'm going to need. I'm just having a hard time trying to juggle that with also trying to work in being a front-liner.You could also play a druid (as mentioned above), but focus on animal companions. See if you can take the Natural Bond feat (CAdv), as well as Wild Cohort (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) (if you can talk your way into it) and go for a PrC that focuses on animal companions.

Also, warforged are in the MMIII, so if you have access to those (and with druids in the party, you'd need to have the MMs available), then do that?

[zlefin]

How willing is the party to help out with spellcasting?
A lot of those folk can cast Endure Elements; and even at lvl 1 it nullifies the regular heat threat if done daily.

[Grakin]

@ zlefin - One of the druids and bard are going pretty support heavy so I think I can rely on them for endure elements. If I go druid as well I'd be pretty set, I usually don't play spellcasters at all so I didn't realize how long that spell lasted.

@MaxiDuRaritry - Sorry I misspoke, when I said core races I meant only the races in PHB and sandstorm were allowable. I'll run animal cohort by him, I've never thought to go more heavy into using my animal companion but that might work.

@PMciopo - I'll take a look at it, I remember skimming over it and thinking it felt like kind of a more watered down wild shape, but given you get it right away and I won't have to worry as much about an animal companion it might be a good idea.

[ciopo]

It *is* a watered down wild shape and the common opinion is that it was fine as a okayish nerf compared to wild shape but it also eating up the animal companion was unnecessary, but as you said:
you get it at level 1
It's at will
Easy on the bookkeeping
better than rage and only gets better comparatively as you unlocks other forms.
It's not much equipment dependant, which if the campaign is scarce on magic items is a boon, otherwise it's a drawback.
You're still getting the full druid spellcasting!

[gijoemike]

What level will this game go to?

I am a bit jealous. Sudden 3.5 games drops from the sky into your lap. Tell us how the first few sessions go.

I see a desert campaign where heat exhaustion and water being key issues. If I were playing I would demand a ranger in the party. Magic may take care of most of the issues but that means magic is going to daily maintenance instead of magic item creation, healing, etc.


How about playing a gnome ranger? Burrowing creatures can stay out of the heat of the desert sun. Gnomes have con to make those endurance and heat checks. They will not need as much water. As a ranger you can find shelter, water, and keep people safe from the sun. You can play a well tanned desert guide.

If you do go this route, ask your GM about the gnome racial sub levels for ranger. Your animal companion will be a badger that you can talk to since gnome. The trick is you add 3 to your driud level for burrowing animal companions. You get invisibility as a spell if you stick with it for 8 levels. Say this with me. "Gnome Pick". You are in medium armor and can bypass all the dex requirements for rapid shot to be a switch hitter in the first round of combat. Or you can bypass the dex for 2 weapon fighting. I like these sub levels because it makes the ranger animal companion not completely worthless. Rangers are just 1 more class that can use CLW wands.

Now all of the above depends on that other player going rogue.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Typically, it's a good idea to hole up during the day and travel at night in a desert. Make sure the party has low-light vision and darkvision, then pack heavy clothes. Find a way to nab a creature with a burrowing speed that leaves behind a usable tunnel (such as purchasing a warbeast dire badger for cheap that you can use Handle Animal on). Have the burrowing animal make a tunnel for you during the day so you're not nearly as much in danger of heatstroke.

[Quentinas]

What about playing a Swashbuckler Bhukas ? You could be a frontliner without many problem and as you can benefit from an high intelligence you could have enough skill points to use in social skills. Probably is not strong as the two druid, but thinking at a frontliner is the nearest thing that come to mind without using heavy armors. The water finding of a Bhuka could help the party
If not a character that could be interesting is an Asherati scout , but is not a tank , is funny as you can use the desert under yourself to move but i would not define him a tank

[gijoemike]

Garkin, what did you decide to play?

What does the party consist of?

[Troacctid]

I hope you have some asherati in the party. Normally they're pretty weak, but if you know for sure that the whole campaign is taking place in the desert? Sandswimming and sandsight are going to be incredibly strong.

[Quertus]

Pity that I'm late to the party, otherwise, I would have recommended going hard mode, and intentionally taking someone ill-suited to the environment.

However, I like the idea of team Druid. Although a little hard at 1st level, to make your own mark, you could have built - bear with me - a furry ursine Druid, combining green bond summoning, training their animal companion, boosting their healing power, disdaining saddles, and Vow of Nudity, who is a bareback war bear riding, barely-recognizable bear-summoning, bare naked anthropomorphized bear / werebear care bear.

Bet you don't have one of those in the party. :smallwink:

EDIT: although, it bears mentioning that, should their plans be laid bare, and it turns out your Druid "playing it close to the chest" *did* go this route - barely plausible, but still… - you should ask whether a threadbare cloak might be bearable (especially if it has pockets to hold goodberries).

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Pity that I'm late to the party, otherwise, I would have recommended going hard mode, and intentionally taking someone ill-suited to the environment.

However, I like the idea of team Druid. Although a little hard at 1st level, to make your own mark, you could have built - bear with me - a furry ursine Druid, combining green bond summoning, training their animal companion, boosting their healing power, disdaining saddles, and Vow of Nudity, who is a bareback war bear riding, barely-recognizable bear-summoning, bare naked anthropomorphized bear / werebear care bear.

Bet you don't have one of those in the party. :smallwink:Take Ocular Spell so you can literally shoot summoned bears out of your eyes via lasers.

[Grakin]

Sorry I didn't respond right away folks, life passes quick.

I ended up using Ciopo's idea and going scabland half-orc druid with the shapesift acf from PH2. We got two other druids (one homebrewed af), a human bard and the undecided ranger/rogue went with an asheratis ranger. First session was just character intro's, general rundown on campaign. Got to see the map for the first time. I'm in the works with the DM to negotiate some stuff to make my character more effective since apparently everyone else is also trying to homebrew/change things up as well. He's still being strict on what books are allowed but if we bring something to him that's reasonable then he might allow it. He's definitely a flavor over min/max guy.

I'm still intending to be our team meatshield/frontliner as it appears everyone else other than the ranger is going heavy spellcasting. GM's letting me take full BAB instead of the druid's usual and stated I can trade spells slots, feats, etc for other perks/changes if I want. I guess that's how it was handled for the others.

Expected end-campaign level is most likely 15-17, their last campaign made it to 16 and I guess that is usually the average.

All and all things are starting slow but I'm just glad to be playing. Also, thank you guys for the advice on how to handle desert climate/how to travel in the campaign. The map he showed us was like 75% desert with some oasis's, badlands, and a coastal jungle so it'll be interesting.